1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to capacitors for electrical and electronic circuits, and more particularly to an improved metallic capacitor having a high capacitance and low physical volume. This invention also relates to the method of making the improved metallic capacitor through a wire drawing process.
2. Background of the Invention
Over the years, the size of electronic components has decreased steadily and dramatically in the electrical and electronic art. Along with such dramatic decrease in the size of electrical components, the speed and complexity of electronic components has increased substantially in the electrical and electronic art. The decrease in size of electronic components has been primarily within the areas of semiconductors and resistant elements. However, such dramatic decreases in size have not been effected in the area of electrical capacitors.
A capacitor is formed by two conductive plates separated by a dielectric interposed between the two conductive plates. The capacitance of a capacitor is directly proportional to the area of the conductive plates of the capacitor and is inversely proportional to the separation of the conductive plates or the thickness of the dielectric. The dielectric of a capacitor must be of sufficient thickness to withstand the voltage potential between the conductive capacitor plates while being sufficiently thin to increase the capacitance of the capacitor.
It should be understood that any reduction in size of a capacitor is limited by the physical configurations of the capacitor namely the total surface area of the conductive capacitor plates and the thickness of the dielectric insulator between the conductive plates of the capacitor. Accordingly, in order to decrease the physical dimensions of the capacitor while remaining the same capacitance, any reduction in the total surface area of the conductive capacitor plates must be associated with the corresponding reduction in the thickness of the dielectric material or the spacing between the conductive capacitor plates.
Traditionally, prior art capacitors were formed by rolling a first and second foil separated by a dielectric material into a cylindrical roll. Some in the prior art have attempted to miniaturize capacitors by incorporating thin film sheet technology and the like. By utilizing thin film sheet technology, the physical thickness of the conductive capacitor plates is reduced, without reducing the surface area thereof. The use of thin film technology aided in the physical reduction of the physical size of the capacitor for a given capacitance.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method of making a capacitor having an extremely high capacitance for physical size which was heretofore unknown by the prior art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method of making a capacitor which is extremely reliable and capable of high temperature operation.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method of making a capacitor which utilizes a plurality of coaxial capacitors connected in electrical parallel.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method of making a capacitor wherein each of the individual coaxial capacitors may be tested for any defects prior to interconnection thereby eliminating the need for scraping the capacitor due to a single defective one of a plurality of coaxial capacitors.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method of making a capacitor by drawing coaxial conductors separated by a dielectric material in a wire drawing process.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method of making a capacitor by drawing a multiplicity of individual coaxial capacitors in a wire drawing process.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description presenting the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.